Bertha Back to Hurricane; 1,500 Rescues in O.C.

By
Dan Stillman

At 17 days and counting, Bertha is the longest-lived July named storm on record for the Atlantic Ocean (storms are named once they reach tropical storm status). Bertha attained tropical storm status (maximum sustained winds of at least 39 mph) on July 3 and hurricane status (maximum sustained winds of at least 74 mph) on July 7. It dropped back down to a tropical storm on July 13, before becoming a hurricane again yesterday.

Bertha flooded roads and knocked out electricity in Bermuda on Monday, but there were no reported injuries. The storm is now smack-dab in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and is of no direct threat to land. However, even from hundreds of miles away, Bertha has caused heavy surf and rip currents along the Atlantic coast. In Ocean City alone, lifeguards made 1,500 rescues during a seven-day stretch starting July 9.